Recently the Cannabist announced that Snoop Dogg launched his exclusive cannabis brand “Leafs by Snoop,” at a private event held in the Denver area. And while other celebrities have products in the works, (i.e. Bob Marley’s, Marley Naturals and Willie Nelson’s, Willie’s Reserve,) Snoop Dogg is the first A-list celebrity to officially launch a self-branded line targeted at the recreational market.

The brand was launched in a limited-time exclusive relationship with LivWell, one of the largest pot shop operators and cultivators in Colorado. “Leafs By Snoop cannabis products are made under a Colorado marijuana license belonging to Beyond Broadway, which does business as LivWell and will grow all of the brand’s flower and manufacture its edibles and concentrates.” So, not only are we seeing the emergence of celebrity marijuana brands, we are seeing these brands forge strategic partnerships with dispensaries and processors. Just as an aside though, I’m not sure why it is called “Leafs by Snoop” and not “Leaves by Snoop.” Anyone have any ideas?

But the question remains, do celebrity brands matter? Beyond the ratings gold and the very obvious cache, what exactly is the point? Celebrities have long been a part of creating branded products, mostly seen in clothing lines, beauty products, or event restaurants. But is celebrity endorsement necessary to sell a product that sells itself? In that vain, does marketing any marijuana product matter at all? If the product consistently sells out no matter what, then maybe it is premature to call for the development of full fledged cannabis brands. I would argue that we are really four to five years away from seeing brands actually matter. Until flower doesn’t sell out at 100% then I don’t really see the point (and this coming from someone who has studying cannabis branding for quite some time.) I can see ancillary products (i.e. the Firefly and Pax for example,) being far more brand sensitive than flower.

Another concern no one is talking about is liability. In an industry still struggling with potency consistency, is it the right time for celebrities to be endorsing products? While I think it is compelling that Snoop got to market first and while I think celebrity-endorsed cannabis brands are interesting, I’m not completely convinced they are necessary – at least not yet.

Daryl:
Nice Blog Claire, the industry is already massive and still in it's in...

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